10. Viral Ventures: Hepatitis C and its LP Link
Mention Hepatitis C, and most minds race to liver diseases. But there’s another, lesser-known association – Lichen Planus. Now, this isn’t about the virus directly causing LP. Instead, it’s about an indirect connection, a kind of association that stirs curiosity and paves the way for extensive research.
Multiple studies across the globe have noticed a trend. Patients with Hepatitis C often, but not always, show a higher prevalence of LP. The manifestation of LP in these patients isn’t atypical. It’s the standard skin and mucosal lesions, sometimes even nail involvement. But the coincidence, or rather the frequency of this coexistence, is too significant to ignore.
One proposed explanation hinges on the immune system. Hepatitis C, a viral infection, prompts an immune response. Now, our immune system is a bit like an overenthusiastic security guard. Sometimes, in its zeal to defend, it might misidentify its own cells as intruders. This ‘friendly fire’, when directed at the skin and mucous membranes, manifests as LP. (10)
